Thomas Hardy Was an Optimist: A Collection of Short Stories from the Plague Years (Unabridged‪)‬

Joe Market makes his living by panhandling cars while he tries to suppress trauma. On her 80th birthday, Alice awaits a visit from her daughter. Karen's mother expects her to give up her life to care for her. As a hospice patient, Jane struggles to leave a legacy. Two women struggle with hearing child abuse in a neighbour's apartment. In each story, the characters grapple with a problem that can haunt them or provide salvation.